Spencer Pratt, a Republican candidate who isn’t expected to gain much traction in the Los Angeles mayoral race, is surprisingly amassing national support. His message of “common sense” seems to be resonating beyond California, reaching as far as the East Coast.
A billboard recently appeared in La Grange, Georgia, where local resident Brandon Johns spent $400 of his own money to create a sign that reads, “Even the state of Georgia knows L.A. needs Spencer Pratt as mayor.”
Installed on Friday, the billboard quickly went viral on TikTok, infusing Pratt’s already-promoted campaign with a fresh wave of interest outside of California.
Johns, a self-employed business owner, mentioned he got the idea while driving and acted on it right away, catching Pratt by surprise.
“I actually just did it today,” he mentioned, explaining how the idea struck him during his drive.
According to Johns, the billboard aims to highlight the growing excitement around Pratt well beyond the borders of Los Angeles.
He added, “I wanted to surprise him and show that people from across the country are supporting him, even if we can’t vote.” Johns connected with Pratt through TikTok about five years ago and even visited Pratt and his family after the Palisades fire last year. He described Pratt as a “great guy” and an all-around “really great” person.
Johns also livestreamed the recent Los Angeles mayoral debate on TikTok, generating considerable online interest for Pratt, with about 15,000 viewers tuning in.
“It went crazy,” he said, enthused about the response.
He pointed out that he didn’t seek approval before putting up the sign, arguing that it’s a matter of free speech and emphasizing that he financed the sign himself.
As Pratt’s campaign continues gaining traction online, he’s leaning into his image as a political outsider, arguing that his lack of conventional political experience shouldn’t disqualify him from leading Los Angeles.
In a recent CBS interview, Pratt invoked former President Barack Obama as an example, noting that Obama faced similar criticism regarding his experience when he ascended to high office.
“He didn’t have the experience of running an entire country much larger than L.A.,” Pratt pointed out.
He frames his campaign not strictly as a partisan initiative but rather as a reaction to years of ineffective leadership in Los Angeles. “My message isn’t political; it’s common sense,” he asserts. His motivation for running stems from a dissatisfaction with the city’s direction and concerns for his family’s future.
“I’m defending what happened because of failed politicians,” Pratt expressed. “I had to step up so my sons could come back here one day to live in the beautiful, safe Los Angeles that I once knew.”
Johns mentioned that the signs would stay up for at least a week, with plans to extend that to a month.
The newspaper has reached out to Pratt’s office for a statement.
